On this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a food set, complete with a hamburger, soft drink and French fries, using very basic shapes in Illustrator.

1. Create a New Document and Setup

• Step 1. Press Cmd + N to create a New Document. Set the Units to Pixels and the size to 800 x 600px. In Advanced Options, set the Color Mode to RGB and the Resolution to 72ppi.

In Preferences (Cmd + K) input 1px in Keyboard Increment. Click OK.

You can go to Window > Info, to preview the size and position of your shapes. Remember to set the Units to Pixels in Edit > Preferences > Units. This will help you work faster.

2. Make the table

We’ll start by drawing the table and its legs.

Step 1

For the table top, draw a 440 x 20px rectangle (Color: #EBBD63) and set the stroke weight to 6px. From the Stroke Panel, apply Round Join for the outline.

Step 2

For the table legs, draw a 25 x 88px rectangle (Color: #EBBD63), also with a stroke weight of 6px. Select the Pen tool (P) and add an anchor point on the lower part. Then delete it with the Direct Selection tool (A).

Then, move the anchor point on the right, up, using the Direct Selection tool, as shown in the image below. Copy the leg (Cmd + C > Cmd + F) and place it on the other side of the table.

3. Make the Soft Drink

Step 1

Make an 86 x 156px rectangle (Color: #F04903). Select with the Direct Selection tool (A), the lower anchor points and move them in 10px, making a trapezoid.

Now make a 44 x 44px ellipse (Color: #EFC206) in the middle of the cup. Select the Pen tool (P) and draw two triangles on the cup and fill them with this color: #FFFFFF.

Step 2

We need to draw the lid of the cup. Select the Rounded Rectangle tool and make a 104 x 12px rectangle (Color: #FFFFFF). Set the Corner Radius to 6px, and the stroke weight to 4px.

For the straw, draw a 7 x 44px rectangle (Color: #FFFFFF) and rotate it 340º in the Transform Panel. Add another 56 x 7px rectangle (Color: #FFFFFF) and add it to the previous one with Unite in the Pathfinder. Now slightly bend the inside angles using Live Corners with the Direct Selection tool (A). Finally, group the elements of the straw (Cmd + G) and place it beneath the cup by right clicking > Arrange > Send to Back.

Group everything (Cmd + G).

4. Make the hamburger

Step 1

We’ll start the hamburger by making the burger buns. Draw a 129 x 41px rectangle (Color: #F29B34) and round the top corners with the Direct Selection tool (A) and Live Corners.

Then, add a slice of ham by making a 140 x 10px rectangle (Color: #F16554C) and set a Corner Radius of 5px in the Transform Panel.

Step 2

Draw the lettuce with the Pen tool, setting the stroke weight to 6 px and the color to: #71BA51.

Next, add a slice of cheese using the Rounded Rectangle tool to make a 140 x 10px rectangle (Color: #EFC206) with a Radius of 5px and a stroke weight of 6px.

Send the lettuce behind by right clicking > Arrange > Send to Back.

Step 3

Add the burger meat with a 140 x 13px rectangle (Color: #FD5B03) using the Rounded Rectangle tool. Set the Radius to 7px. Then, copy the lettuce (Cmd + C > Cmd + F) and place it underneath the burger meat.

Lastly, add the bottom slice of bread by making a 129 x 28px rectangle (Color: #F29B34) and round the lower corners with the Direct Selection tool (A) and Live Corners.

Step 4

We’re going to add a bit of cheese poking out between the burger’s layers. Draw this with the Pen tool and give it this fill color: #EFC206 as shown in the image below. Select the hamburger and group everything (Cmd + G).

5. Make the French Fries

Step 1

Now we’ll make some tasty French fries! First, we’ll need the holder for them. Make a 102 x 94px rectangle (Color: #F04903), and with the Direct Selection tool (A), select the lower anchor points and move them in 8px.

Then, make a 34 x 34px circle with the Ellipse tool (#EFC206) in the middle of the holder.

Step 2

Make a 75 x 75px circle with the Ellipse tool and place it on the holder. Apply Minus Front in the Pathfinder.

Step 3

Add the French fries. Make a 10 x 120px rectangle (#EFC206) and set the stroke weight to 5px. Make various copies (Cmd + C > Cmd + F), rotating some with the Rotate tool (R) and placing them behind the holder. (Right click > Arrange > Send to Back.

Step 4

Place all the elements on the table as shown in the image below:

6. Lighting and Shading

We’re going to apply some volume to our objects by giving them some highlights and shading, using the Pathfinder.

Step 1

Ungroup each of the objects, selecting them and pressing Shift + Cmd + G. With all the objects separated, it’s easier to work on the details individually.

Step 2

Let’s start with the hamburger. Select the inside shape of the bread and copy it twice (Cmd + C > Cmd + F). Then, move the second copy down and slightly to the right and apply Minus Front in the Pathfinder. Fill the rest of the shape with this color: #F8F5BC

Step 3

Repeat the previous process with the rest of the shapes that make up the hamburger. Use the fill colors shown in the image below.

Step 4

Add twelve 5x5px circles (Color: B57427), on the top burger bun as a final touch.

Step 5

Repeat the same process for the soft drink cup and the lid, but leave out the straw.

Step 6

Do the same for the French fry holder.

Step 7

Finally, repeat the process for the table top and legs. Use this color: #FBF2E0.

Step 8

It’s now time to add some shading exactly the same way as we added the highlights. Apply the fill colors shown in the image below.

7. The final details

We’re now going to add some stars and dots as the final touches to our illustration.

Step 1

Make a cross by drawing two 16px long lines with the Pen tool (P), and set the stroke weight to 6px. Then make another one the same way, but with 10px long lines.

Add two 4x 4px circles with the Ellipse tool, and then another 7 x 7px one. Remove the stroke of the circles.

Use these colors for the stars and dots: #FFCE0B, #F04903, #653426, #FF8500.

Step 2

Make an 800 x 600px rectangle with this fill color: #F2E2C9. Place the rectangle at the back of the illustration (Right click > Arrange > Sends to back).

Congratulations! We’re done!

Well done! After all this work I’m feeling quite hungry! So on this tutorial you saw how we could bring a simple illustration to life, using very basic shapes.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that you found it useful. You can now put what you’ve learnt into practice for your own projects and designs.